No.’s 29-1
No. 29: Arthur Rinderknech
Although his cousin (Vacherot) stole the show in Shanghai, Rinderknech’s run to the final should not be overlooked. The Frenchman posted a 13-6 record in the last two months of the season, vaulting himself up over 50 spots in the rankings. At age 30, I doubt we see Rinderknech ascend much further, but can he hold steady in the Top 30?
No. 28: Learner Tien
Tien won the Next Gen ATP Finals, finished the year inside the Top 30, and yet he is still underdiscussed on the global scene. The 20-year-old won’t serve you off the court or blast you away with forehand power, but his consistency, paired with a game with so few holes, has lent itself to terrific early success for the former USC Trojan. Stop doubting this kid; the sky is the limit.
No. 27: Cameron Norrie
After falling to No. 91 in the world back in April (his lowest ranking since May 2018), Norrie refused to let his career go out with a whimper. The former TCU Horned Frog did what he does best: battle on the clay. Reaching the semis in Geneva and the second week of Roland Garros gave the Brit some breathing room as he looked to reestablish himself on tour. The 30-year-old is unlikely to reach his peak ranking of World No. 8 again, but the crafty lefty should continue to be a pain in the side of anyone across the net for years to come.
No. 21 Francisco Cerundolo
The 27-year-old Argentine has won at least 33 ATP matches in each of the last three seasons; no small feat for a player dubbed initially as a clay-court specialist. I am a big fan of Cerundolo’s game on hard courts and believe his lateral movement is one of the best in the sport. He posted a career-best 18-8 mark in Masters events in 2025, something that will be tough to repeat. Although I do not see Cerundolo’s peak ranking rising much above the Top 15, I expect him to have another strong year inside the Top 30.
No. 9: Ben Shelton
Undoubtedly the most talked-about former collegiate tennis star, Ben Shelton may be the only player on this list with the chops to win a Grand Slam. The former Florida Gator reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 this year as he continues to add layers to his game, which boasts one of the best serves on tour. Shelton has been candid with his goals: knock off Alcaraz and Sinner and win slams. The 23-year-old has plenty of runway to do it. I expect another phenomenal season for the American, and his ranking will only continue to rise as he finds consistency at the 250 and 500 levels.
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – Imagn Images
